Thursday, October 8, 2009

Nigella Lawson's Scallops & Chorizo--A "One Pot Wonder"

This week's I Heart Cooking Clubs theme is "One Pot Wonders" which means recipes where all the elements are prepared in one pot or pan. I am almost embarrassed about posting this recipe for Scallops and Chorizo from Nigella Express because it is so simple and once your scallops are defrosted, it takes less than 10 minutes to have this on the table. An easy tapas or starter with some crusty bread to soak up the sauce or if served on top of salad or saffron rice, a nice lunch or dinner entree.

Nigella says, "I have long been a fan of scallops and bacon and scallops with chile, and this is my combination of the two, using chorizo--the sausage not the salami--to ooze its paprika-hot orange oil all over the sweet, white scallops. It's quicker than the speed of light to make and quite as dazzling."

Scallops and Chorizo

Nigella Express, Nigella Lawson

(Serves 4 as Main Course for 8 as Starter)

4 oz chorizo sausage

1 lb small scallops (halve them to make 2 thinner discs if they are very fat)

juice of half a lemon

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Slice the chorizo into rounds no thicker than 1/8 inch. Put a pan on the stove to get hot and then dry-fry (the chorizo will give out plenty of its own oil) the chorizo rounds until crisped on either side; this should take no more than 2 minutes. Remove chorizo to a bowl or serving plate and fry the scallops in the chorizo oil for about a minute per side. Return the chorizo to the pan with the scallops, add the lemon juice and let bubble for a few seconds before arranging on a serving plate and sprinkling with lots of parsley.

Notes/Results: A great little dish that goes together very quickly and is quite tasty. The combination of the sweet scallops and lightly spicy chorizo brightened by the lemon is excellent. I also like the fact it uses only four ingredients plus a little pepper (with the chorizo, no salt was needed) and they are things I had in my freezer and pantry. This would be an effortless party dish and I would make it again.

You can see what the other IHCC participants chose as their "one pot wonders" by going to the IHCC site here.

Believe it or not, I looked at making this one! I like scallops, but my picky husband doesn't. I bet this was a delicious pairing of two great ingredients. The chorizo is so great at adding flavor, even in thin slices :D

My DSO would absolutely moan with pleasure over this dish--he loves scallops and I don't eat (cook) them. I really need to buy one of Nigella's books, especially since I just got a bookcase to hold at least half my cookbooks in the kitchen, where I actually use them.

I adore scallops, but I run hot and cold with chorizo: sometimes I love it, other times the very thought of smelling it cooking makes me run. You, however, have made it look most appealing, especially with that gorgeous rice. I have Nigella Express and now I'm itching to pull her collection off the shelves and play. :) (Her cupcake recipe from Domestic Goddess is a monthly staple.)

I think I would love the scallops and chorizo together...seemingly odd, yet delicious combo!! And it is nice that there are only 4 ingredients!! I'm in love with chorizo anyway...so I know I'd love this.

Ow wow! I clearly have the wrong Nigella book. I would have jumped on that recipe faster than you could say "seafood"! I'm going to bookmark that one for sure...especially since i have both scallops and chorizo i the freezer right now!

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Originally from the beautiful but rainy Pacific Northwest, I have been living in beautiful and (mostly) sunny Hawaii for the past 15 years. Foodie and Certified Health Coach--I love all things related to food and cooking. I especially like making healthy food that tastes great.

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A Delicious Ina Garten Dish (weekly) for IHCC

Lots of Book Tours (Reviews + Recipes Inspired by the Book): Just Sit: TBD, Modern Loss: TBD, The Lucky Ones: Tues. Feb. 27th, Hot Mess: Thurs. March 8th, I'll Be Your Blue Sky: Wed. March 14th, The Wild Inside: Thurs. March 22nd, 1001 Ways To Be Creative: Thurs. March 29th, The House on Harbor Hill: Tues. April 3rd, True Stories From An Unreliable Narrator: Wed. April 11th, Hurricane Season: Tues. April 17th, You All Grow Up and Leave Me: Wed. April 25th, Between Earth and Sky: Wed. May 16th